Politics
I made a mistake with Fubara, Wike slams Governor’s camp
The Minister of the Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said backing Governor Siminalayi Fubara was a mistake he would correct at the appropriate time.
The FCT Minister insisted he made mistakes in his judgement of Fubara and asked the people of the LGA and political family to forgive him.
He said at the appropriate time they would correct the mistake insisting that he would continue to make his detractors angry so they would keep making mistakes.
Wike said: ” I want to say this clearly, in life we have made a mistake. I have made a mistake. I own it up and I say God forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time. I am a human, I am bound to make a mistake. So forgive me for making a wrong judgement. So nobody should kill”.
He also responded to some developments and actions from the camp of Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on the ongoing political crisis in the State.
Wike spoke on Saturday at the grand Civic reception held at Ogu-Bolo in honour of Chief George Thompson Sekibo to celebrate his 20 years of service at the National and 36 years of his life in public service.
The former Rivers Governor told Fubara’s camp that no injunctions obtained at 2am or 4am would stop the law and due process from taking its course in the state.
“If they like they can go to anybody by 2am or 4am to get injunction. The law will take its course. We must follow due process,” Wike said.
Reacting to Fubara’s remarks that he would not worship anybody, Wike said he had never asked anybody to worship him.
He said: “It is not easy to be a public officer and the people decide to honour you. Let me thank the Ogu council of chiefs and the entire community who insisted that their son should be honoured.
“You have refused politics to divide you. It shows that you have the interest of your community in mind. I came because I respect people, who appreciate what God has used people to do for them.
“God uses people to help others. So when you have been helped, you appreciate them. God will know you have appreciated him. Nobody can worship man. All of us believe that it is only God we will worship.
“As politicians we appreciate people who have helped us. When I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? Did I ask you to worship me. If you had not supported me, I would not have been where I am. Did you tell me to worship you? So where does the issue of worship come from?”
Most political associates of Wike such as Senator Magnus Abe; Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr. Samuel Ogbuku; NDDC Director, Finance and Administration, Boma Iyayi, House of Assembly members, local government chairmen, senators among others attended the event
Wike told the lawmakers not to be afraid saying nobody would remove them as assembly members.
*Don’t be afraid nobody will remove you as a lawmaker. Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. Our business is to make them to fear. That is what I am doing. We will make them to be angry everyday and they will continue to make mistakes”.
The former Governor said he would continue to maintain peace in the state and called on his supporters to pursue peace.
He said: “So don’t worry yourselves. We won’t give money to anybody to go and buy arms to kill anybody. I have maintained peace and I want to beg all you to continue to maintain peace. Nobody will tell me that I can’t live in my house or go to my house. But all of you should maintain the peace. Follow law and sue process..we will get to the end
“As you see me I stand straight. I think well. I came with senator Magnus Abe. I work with people that have brains. On politics, when people with brains agree they disagree. Those, who don’t know what to do but said they would bring me down, who born them? They are nowhere. When you are in charge, you are in charge.
“Everything will calm down. All these people running around, they would come down. Boma worked for his appointment, he showed loyalty and commitment and that is why God placed him there. Don’t worry.
“Let me also advised you, forget about how they abuse us. You must be alive for people to abuse you. If you are dead, will they abuse you? At the appropriate time when the results will be announced, we will know who is who. We have defeated them severally.
“Some.of them ran to Abuja but when I went to Abuja, they ran back here. Have you not seen the way Abuja is moving? No amount of propaganda can help you. Ogu people have shown loyalty and I want to thank you”.
Reflecting on his political journey, Wike said: “In 2014 to 2015, we didn’t have anybody. I came here and you said you would work for it and you worked for it. We had nobody in government. Did we not win? What are you afraid of?
“While in a government I had a problem, I had a federal government that was hostile to me, did we not succeed? They are giving excuses. If you know you. When somebody cannot do something, say you cannot do it.
“At the appropriate time, people will speak of the projects in the state. They will tell you who did what. It is not people who come now and claim what they didn’t do. Ogu continue to support your people, your politicians have done well. Sekibo has done well.
“Don’t mind these buccaneers, I know how to handle them. Leave them for me..they have been my children. I will continue to handle them. Let’s work together”.
The former governor added: ” It is not easy to be in power and begin to give excuses. You continue to run away from promises you made to people. Look at all the council chairmen, the assembly members, these were people I spoke to for the interest of all of us.
“They all responded but today somebody said they are nobody. Will you accept that? Assembly people sat down in their various constituencies. You never brought a dime. I never knew you were rich that your father was a managing director of shell before and now you are paying their school fees. It is unfortunate.
“But Ogu people I will never abandon you. There are some chiefs I wanted to recognise as traditional rulers. Their people said no. But I dared it and I did it. Nobody bothered to recognise the traditional rulers from 1999 down to 2014. It was me that came and recognize most of them. I did what I did because it believed it was the right thing to do. It takes he who has the balls to talk.
“Now you said you are making them first class. Who made them second class and third class before you are making him first class? Be grateful to whatever God has given to you. Anywhere you are as a traditional ruler, check your conscience, who lifted you up. They said the list of caretaker committee was released but it was fake. Everything is fake with them”.
Politics
IMO WEST SENATOR IZUNASO WARNS AGAINST RISING TREND OF ILL-PREPARED LEADERS IN NIGERIA.
By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
17- DEC- 2025
The Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Markets, Senator Osita Izunaso, has expressed deep concern over what he described as the increasing occupation of political offices by individuals lacking the training, discipline, and values required for effective leadership.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the public presentation of Leadership 365: Daily Reflection for Effective Leadership, authored by Dr. Linus Okorie, President of the GOTNI Leadership Centre, the lawmaker noted that leadership in Nigeria is often misunderstood as merely holding public office rather than demonstrating character, competence, and vision.
Senator Izunaso stressed that authority does not automatically confer leadership, lamenting the absence of intentional leadership development structures in the country. According to him, many political actors assume leadership positions without adequate preparation, resulting in poor conduct, weak decision-making, and a disconnect from the people they serve.
He explained that true leadership reflects in attitude, speech, and behaviour, noting that leaders are constantly under public scrutiny and must therefore conduct themselves with responsibility and restraint. He added that leadership is not exclusive to political office holders, pointing out that leaders often emerge naturally in everyday settings based on influence and character rather than titles.
The lawmaker commended Dr. Okorie for contributing to leadership discourse through his book, describing it as a thoughtful work that highlights leadership as a daily responsibility applicable to all spheres of life. He emphasized that leadership is often revealed through action and integrity, not position, and can be identified even among children through observation of behaviour and influence.
Addressing young Nigerians, Senator Izunaso cautioned against the growing obsession with quick wealth, urging them instead to embrace mentorship and positive role models whose lives reflect sound values. He advised that money should not be the primary measure for choosing role models, stressing the importance of character and long-term impact.
The senator further observed that while technology and artificial intelligence are shaping the modern world, they can never replace the power of the human spirit. He noted that when properly guided, human capacity can drive meaningful change capable of transforming institutions, economies, and nations.
In his remarks, Dr. Okorie underscored the importance of deliberate leadership grooming, stating that nations that have achieved sustainable development did so by investing consciously in leadership capital. He explained that the book was written to encourage consistent self-reflection and inspire individuals committed to making a positive difference in society.
Observers note that concerns about leadership quality have remained a recurring issue in Nigeria’s governance discourse, with critics often pointing to weak institutions, policy inconsistency, and a political culture that prioritizes patronage over competence as major challenges to national development.
Politics
Engineers Farouk Ahmed, Gbenga Komolafe resign, President Tinubu nominates successors to the Senate for approval
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC. Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.
The two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.
Eyesan, a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, spent nearly 33 years with the NNPC and its subsidiaries. She retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream (2023–2024), and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at NNPC from 2019 to 2023.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering. He was announced today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
His prior roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, as well as Chair of the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail.
He also served as Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Gas & Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code, and contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Engineer Mohammed played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.
EVENTS
PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES SENATOR IFEANYI ARARUME ON HIS BIRTHDAY
President Bola Tinubu felicitates Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume, astute politician and accomplished businessman, on his birthday, December 16.
Senator Ararume’s odyssey in politics began in the late 1980s, when he served as the State Treasurer of the Liberal Convention in old Imo State. He later joined the National Finance Committee of the defunct National Republican Convention.
He represented Imo North in the 9th National Assembly. He was first elected in May 1999 and re-elected in April 2003. He also served on several committees and held other official roles.
President Tinubu commends the former senator for his years of service to the nation and contributions to its peace, unity, and progress.
The President describes Senator Ararume as a resolute and shrewd politician, highlighting his courageous and remarkable political journey through the years.
President Tinubu wishes Senator Ararume a happy 67th birthday and prays that God Almighty will grant him more years of good health and strength.
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